KVS EXCLUSIVE: Couple accused of illegal firearm possession in Cambridge

By Michael Bielawski,

The Vermont State Police are accusing a Vermont couple in Cambridge of “illegal firearm possession.” The collection amounted to 18 guns. Both accused were prohibited from having firearms due to prior legal troubles.

Michael Edwards

It states that on Wednesday, “the Vermont State Police executed a court-ordered search warrant at a residence on Dan Reynolds Rd. in the town of Cambridge. The search warrant was issued out of the Lamoille County Superior Court following an investigation by the State Police into illegal firearm possession by Michael Edwards and Helana Martin, both of Cambridge.”

It says that both of them were prohibited from having guns due to previous troubles with the law. They may have been relatively accessible to children or teens.

Helena Martin

The police report says, “During the search, Troopers located 18 firearms including several handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Edwards and Martin are both prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions in the state of Vermont. Furthermore, the firearms were not secured within the residence and were easily accessible to juveniles within the home.”

The couple is due to appear at the Lamoille County Superior Court Criminal Division on Monday. They face charges of being “Persons prohibited from possessing firearms” as well as “Negligent firearms storage.”

Gun storage matters

An article appearing in Gun Digest in 2024 notes that gun storage is a serious matter.

“But what happens when your child uses your gun for tragic purposes? The 2003 case of Estate of Heck v. Stoffer grapples with this very issue, raising important questions about potential liability for the misuse of your firearm by a third-person.”

The author writes that this case established that it is the responsibility of adults to gauge the risks in their homes regarding children and guns and to make the appropriate efforts to secure their firearms.

Other stories of illegal guns

This is not the only such incident recently in the news of a Vermonter getting charged with the illegal possession of firearms.

NBC News reported in November that police arrested two individuals for alleged possession of an illegal homemade gun. The report states, “Officers located a privately made firearm, more commonly known as a ‘ghost gun,’ inside the vehicle, which was loaded with several rounds of ammo. [Anthony Seagroves of Hinesburg] is prohibited from possessing the ammunition due to a past felony conviction.”

The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle